Medicare covers medically necessary radiation therapy, and what you owe depends on whether you're treated as a hospital inpatient (Part A) or an outpatient (Part B). If a doctor has just laid out a radiation plan for someone you love, the first question is usually the simplest one: will Medicare pay for it? Yes, it does, and this guide shows what your share looks like in 2026 and what to ask before the first session.

In This Guide

Does Medicare Cover Radiation Therapy?

Yes. Medicare covers medically necessary radiation therapy, and not just for cancer. It applies to other conditions where radiation is the right treatment too. So if radiation is part of the plan your oncologist put together, the coverage question is largely settled. Radiation therapy is a covered Medicare benefit.

The part that surprises people is that Medicare doesn't have one single "radiation" bucket that pays the same way for everyone. Two different parts of Medicare can pick up the tab, and which one applies depends on whether you are treated as a hospital inpatient or as an outpatient. That distinction sounds like paperwork, but it drives what you'll owe.

What You'll Pay for Radiation Therapy: The Setting Decides

Here's the rule in one line: inpatient radiation runs through Part A, and outpatient radiation runs through Part B. Same treatment, different math depending on where you're sitting when you get it.

Setting Part that pays Deductible What you pay
Hospital inpatient Part A $1,736 per benefit period The Part A deductible and any coinsurance
Outpatient or freestanding clinic Part B $283 20% of the Medicare-approved amount after the deductible

Inpatient. If you've been formally admitted to the hospital and get radiation during the stay, Part A covers it. If radiation is part of an admission, this is how it's billed.,

Outpatient or freestanding clinic. You come in, get your treatment, and go home the same day. Part B covers it, including at a freestanding radiation clinic. Part B pays for more than the beam itself: it also covers radium and radioactive isotope therapy, the materials used in your treatment, and the work of the technicians who deliver it. So those items shouldn't show up as extras you have to fight for.

The 20% rate holds, but the dollar figure can move. Medicare says what you owe depends on the type of facility, where you get the service, how much the doctor charges, whether the doctor accepts assignment, and any other insurance you have. If your plan involves more than one session, ask for an itemized estimate of the whole course before the first one instead of guessing from a single visit. The facility's billing office can tell you the approved amount for each service. A cost surprise on top of a cancer diagnosis is a hard thing to absorb, and asking a hospital financial counselor or billing office for that estimate up front is a normal step, not an awkward one.

Does Medicare Cover Proton Therapy and IMRT?

Your oncologist may talk about intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), brachytherapy, or proton beam therapy. Here is the honest answer: Medicare's radiation rule doesn't mention any of these by name, so it can't tell you whether your technique is covered for your diagnosis. That answer sits in a separate coverage decision for that specific treatment.

Those decisions come in two kinds, and you can read both in the Medicare Coverage Database. A national one (an NCD) is Medicare's rule for the whole country on whether a treatment is covered. If there isn't one, or it leaves room, the company that processes Medicare claims in your region can set its own local rule (an LCD) on whether the treatment is reasonable and necessary. To look yours up, ask the facility's billing office which company handles its Medicare claims, then search the database for your treatment and that company's region. Medicare also warns that a doctor may recommend services it doesn't cover. So before treatment starts, ask the radiation oncology team whether the technique they're recommending is covered for your diagnosis, and what you'd owe if it isn't.

If You Have Medicare Advantage or Medigap

Your coverage path changes depending on what you have alongside, or instead of, Original Medicare.

  • Original Medicare alone. There is no yearly limit on what you pay out of pocket unless you have supplemental coverage, such as Medigap, Medicaid, or employer, retiree, or union coverage. With 20% coinsurance on every session, that matters. If you can't absorb it, ask your SHIP counselor whether you qualify for a Medicare Savings Program. The Qualified Medicare Beneficiary level pays the Part B deductible and coinsurance, and federal law bars providers from billing those enrollees for that cost-sharing. States can set income and asset limits above the federal ones, so apply rather than rule yourself out. See Medicare Savings Programs for the details.
  • Original Medicare with Medigap. Medigap helps pay out-of-pocket costs in Original Medicare. Plan G, for example, covers the Part B coinsurance but not the annual Part B deductible. Check with the insurer what your specific policy pays for radiation.
  • Medicare Advantage. These plans must cover the medically necessary Part A and Part B services Original Medicare covers, but most plans, especially HMOs, generally require in-network providers, and plans may require prior authorization before covering certain services. Your cost-sharing comes from the plan, not the 20% above. Every plan has a yearly in-network out-of-pocket maximum, federally limited to $9,250 for in-network Parts A and B services in 2026, and many plans set it lower. Medigap can't be used to pay a Medicare Advantage plan's copayments, coinsurance, or deductibles.

If you're in a Medicare Advantage plan, call the plan before the first session and confirm that the radiation oncology facility is in network and whether the plan needs to approve the treatment first.

Before the First Session

  1. Ask the facility's billing office for an itemized estimate of the full course, whether the facility is treating you as an inpatient or an outpatient, and whether the doctor accepts assignment.
  2. Ask the oncology team whether the recommended technique is covered for your diagnosis, and what you'd owe if it isn't.
  3. Check your supplemental coverage (Medigap or a Medicare Advantage plan) for what it pays and which facilities it accepts.
  4. Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) with an Original Medicare question. It is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except some federal holidays. For plan-specific questions, call your plan first.
  5. Talk to your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) for free, unbiased counseling. Find your local SHIP at shiphelp.org or call 1-877-839-2675.,

If Coverage Is Denied

If you have Original Medicare and disagree with a decision on your Medicare Summary Notice, you can appeal. Appeals must be filed in writing, and the notice prints the date by which Medicare must receive yours, which is 120 days from the date you get the notice. You can appoint a family member or friend to act as your representative, and you can call 1-800-MEDICARE or your SHIP for help before you file. Medicare Advantage plans have their own appeal process that starts with the plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Medicare cover radiation therapy for cancer?

Yes. Medicare covers medically necessary radiation therapy for cancer and other conditions. Which part of Medicare pays depends on the setting: Part A covers radiation given while you are a hospital inpatient, and Part B covers outpatient radiation.

How much does radiation therapy cost with Medicare?

If you get radiation as an outpatient or in a freestanding clinic, you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount after meeting the Part B deductible ($283 in 2026). If radiation is given during a hospital inpatient stay, you pay the Part A deductible ($1,736 per benefit period in 2026) and any coinsurance instead., Ask the facility for an itemized estimate of the whole course.

Is radiation therapy covered under Part A or Part B?

Both can apply. Part A covers radiation delivered while you are admitted as a hospital inpatient. Part B covers radiation for outpatients and for patients in freestanding radiation clinics.

Does it cost more at a hospital than a freestanding clinic?

Part B covers radiation for outpatients and in freestanding clinics, and in both settings you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount after the deductible. The dollar amount can still differ, because Medicare says what you owe depends on the type of facility, where you get the service, how much the doctor charges, and whether the doctor accepts assignment. Ask for an estimate before treatment starts.

Does Medicare cover proton therapy and IMRT?

Medicare's radiation regulation covers radiation therapy by broad type and doesn't name IMRT, proton beam therapy, or other specific techniques, so it doesn't answer whether one is covered for a particular diagnosis. Coverage for a specific service can be set by a national coverage determination or, where none applies, a local one from the regional Medicare contractor. Ask the radiation oncology team whether the recommended technique is covered in your case.

Is there a limit on what I'll pay out of pocket for radiation?

Not in Original Medicare by itself. Medicare says there is no yearly limit on what you pay out of pocket unless you have supplemental coverage, such as Medigap, Medicaid, or employer, retiree, or union coverage. Medicare Advantage plans do have a yearly in-network out-of-pocket maximum.

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The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. Rules vary by state and program and change frequently. Always verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.

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